


A Birthday Celebration

by Veridissima



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Fluff and Smut, Multi, Threesome - F/F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-08
Updated: 2019-12-17
Packaged: 2021-02-25 21:28:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21712246
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Veridissima/pseuds/Veridissima
Summary: Hope is turning six years old, and she convinces her family to go hiking for a few days.
Relationships: Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane, Charmaine Diyoza/Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MarykomSkaikru](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MarykomSkaikru/gifts).



> This fic goes out to Lauren and Mary :D
> 
> This chapter is for Lauren, whose birthday is today :) I really hope you're having an amazing day, and I hope this year that follows is spectacular and filled with everything you want - happiness, health and wealth. You're an awesome girl, always kind and fun, and I couldn't be more happy to call you my friend!!!
> 
> Love you and Happy Birthday!!!

“Daddy, go faster!!” Hope pleaded as she pulled on his hair, as she sat on top of his shoulders.

“I don’t think I can go any faster, baby,” Marcus told her, as he tried to pull her little hands from his hair.

“I can take her,” Madi offered. “If she’s okay with piggyback instead of my shoulders.”

“Yes!! Heda!! Madi!!” Marcus thanked his granddaughter as he pulled his daughter off his shoulders and passed it to her.

It was Hope’s six birthday and she had insisted on going camping with her family, so they had been out here for two days, half of their third day was over and Marcus was tired.

“How’s your back?” Abby asked coming up to him, with Charmaine following her. “You don’t need to always tell her yes.”

“I could use a massage tonight,” he told her.

“Let’s first figure out where we’re sleeping tonight, before I confirm anything,” Abby told him.

“I want one too,” Charmaine said. “I can’t believe it’s been six years since I pushed her off me.”

“I can’t believe it either,” Abby told her squeezing her hand, before looking straight ahead once again, Madi had Hope on her back and as being chased by Clarke and Octavia. Abby was still so glad Hope had insisted Clarke and Madi came to.

Clarke agreed easily, she felt Madi needed a break in her responsibilities as Heda – she knew what it was to be seventeen and with too much responsibility. Octavia had been harder to convince, over the last years she rebuilt her relationship with Marcus and at the same time developed a familiar relationship with Charmaine, but things with Abby had never really gotten back to normal, but they were still family, and Hope’s little pleading eyes were hard to resist.

“You think we’ll get to the waterfall Gabriel mentioned,” Abby asked Charmaine.

“Offended you’re ignoring me in this conversation.”

“Charm is better at having any sense of direction.”

“I’m an explorer, I’ve mapped our side of Sanctum.”

“So has Charm, Marcus.”

“I feel this is unfair bias.”

“Do you know where the waterfall is then?”

“No. But you didn’t know that.”

“You’re an idiot,” she said, slapping his arm. “Charm?” she asked, noticing her smirk.

“Yeah, we should get there, but probably can only go swimming tomorrow.”

“Good, I need to rest.”

“Marcus, you’re just getting old,” Abby said.

“This is a personal attack on me. And I’m gonna go see our daughter.” Marcus disappeared after that, going up ahead, and Abby laughed at him, resting her head on Charmaine’s shoulder.

The walk up the mountain took its time and they moved slowly, and it didn’t take long for Marcus to join them again, he was too tired to keep up with the girls.

“Still mad,” he told them smiling, and joining their conversation, at the moment in the middle of talking about the meeting with Russell and the primes of Sanctum coming up. That was a stressful time every year, any moment there was the risk of them knowing about their nightblood – Gabriel had told them what they did with that, years and years ago, the first big fight in their camp about what to do – their survival had come before the people of Sanctum.

Marcus had never agreed with that decision, but he had a daughter, a stepdaughter and a granddaughter with nightblood, he knew the risks, especially with Clarke and Madi always going in the negotiations.

“I still wish I could go.”

“Charm, we can’t--"

“Abby, I was not arguing with you, I know why I can’t. They hate me and what I did.” Abby squeezed her hand at that – she knew how she felt about the way she was reminded. When they had first negotiated with Sanctum, they had asked for her death (and they would ask again this year), they couldn’t give them a chance to take her out.

“You met with us, Charm, your ideas are good, we will defend them,” Marcus agreed.

“I worked on a plan with Bellamy for a new security system.”

“I know. He told me the morning before we left,” he told her. “He’s meeting with Indra and our builders while we’re away. We’ll look at it again at the Council when we get back, just before we leave.”

“Okay, that’s good. We need more protection according to Gabriel’s calculations.”

“I need to see their library too, Marcus.”

“I know, Abby. Clarke is working on that proposal, and I’ll go with you for that.”

“Good. I’ve found things that could be useful, but I want to read before testing them out.”

“Mom!!” Clarke yelled running back to her, and her senses still made her get scared when hearing her daughter yell, before realizing it was not one of fear. “We found the waterfall – Madi and Hope are there.”

“Clarke, it’s too late.”

“I know I told them. The first sun is down after all. It’s just their feet,” she said. “Octavia has found a cave where you can spend the night.”

“Thank you,” Abby said. “But please go ahead and make sure Hope doesn’t convince Madi that they can go in the water.”

“Okay, Mom, but hurry up.”

“Wait, Clarke,” Charmaine called out. “What did you mean by ‘you’? ‘A cave where _you_ can spend the night’.”

“Hope wants to sleep under the stars, and I told her yes,” Clarke said, before taking off running again.

“Clarke!!”

“I need to check on them, Mom.” Clarke went beyond the hill.

“Clarke!!” Abby yelled again, before turning to Charmaine and Marcus. “Do you think we should let Hope do it?”

“Clarke, Octavia and Madi are responsible, they would keep her safe,” Marcus said. “But we should talk to them, we shouldn’t just put this responsibility on them.”

“I would like a night with just us,” Charmaine commented. “I would like a thank you for birthing that child.”

“Greedy,” Abby said, before laying a kiss on her cheek and promise to fulfill that request.

“So we will listen to your daughter,” Marcus promised. “And make our decision then.”

They finally crossed the hill after that, and started making their way down to the waterfall where Clarke held Hope and seemed to yell at Madi to get out of the water.

“Come here, Hope,” Marcus called. “Leave your sister and you can ride on my shoulders to the cave.”

Hope run up to them and Marcus pulled her up to him, before walking back to the cave Octavia had chosen, it was hidden enough in the rock and gave them some privacy.

“Marcus, can you climb with Hope?”

“Daddy can do it,” she yelled holding him close, and they all knew he wasn’t going to say no now.

“Be careful, Marcus.”

He listened to Abby at least and followed Charmaine’s lead, using her for support, as he kept one hand on Hope’s body. Their things were already there, and they started on the fire as Hope told them about her walk up the hill and all the stars she planned to see.

“Will you listen to your sister if we let you go with her?” Charmaine asked.

“Clarke said I could.”

“And you know you need to ask me or Daddy or Mom. You played your sister.”

“Yes, I will listen to her, and do what she says. And I won’t get scared, Mama, I promise, I’m no longer scared of the dark.”

“I know,” Marcus said, ruffling her hair as he finally got the fire going, just in time for Madi and Octavia coming into the cave, dripping water.

“Mom, get me a blanket, and someone give me space near the fire,” Clarke said, moving Madi closer to blaze. “I can’t believe you went into the water.”

Marcus gave the girls some privacy, since he knew Octavia and Madi would undress, and while everyone was used to a lack of privacy, it was nice to offer a bit of it when possible. He started on dinner, while he heard blankets being passed around, while Clarke and Madi argued, and Octavia insisted it was her fault.

Dinner was easy to prepare. They had brought a few things from camp, they had caught a few berries this morning, and they still had some of the meat from the couple of non-rabbits Octavia had caught last night. He started working on another fire, to heat the food, but Octavia called out before he could.

“Kane, you can heat here. Madi is a warrior, she trains around us all the time, she doesn’t mind a man around, and we’re covered by the blankets.”

“You can come here, Kane,” Madi said, and he agreed, calling for help to carry the food.

The women sent Hope to help him and he put the food on her hands, with a warning to be careful, and when he got the rest of the food to the firepit, they were already heating what Hope had brought.

The seven of them sat huddled up by the fire, as Madi’s teeth chattered, while Octavia seemed more comfortable with the cold.

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson, Madi,” Clarke commented.

“I’m a grown up, Mom, I can deal with my own consequences.”

“It’s hard to accept that as a mom,” Abby commented. “Clarke did her own share of disobeying.” Clarke sent her mom a look at that, but it made Madi smile.

“I’m dry. I’m gonna go get dressed,” Octavia said, standing, letting the blanket fall, before moving to the other side of the cave. Her body free for all to see – it was an hardened body, filled with muscle and scars of constant sparring, but clear to all was the marriage tattoo she had done to honor Lincoln.

“How are you feeling, Madi?” Abby asked, moving closer, checking her forehead.

“Still cold.”

“I don’t think she has a fever,” Abby said to Clarke, before correcting herself. “I don’t think you have a fever, Madi. Maybe putting some more clothes will help.”

“It’s cold. I’ll have to take off the blanket,” she whispered.

“You’ll do it near the fire, and Clarke and I will help you,” Abby said. “Hope, can you get Madi’s clothes?”

Hope did as asked, and then helped as Madi changed back into her clothes, but even fully dressed, the Commander kept the blanket.

“I don’t even know if I wanna go swimming tomorrow.”

“You will,” Octavia said with a laugh, as they passed the food around the room, and started eating.

“We’re going swimming tomorrow!!” Hope celebrated. “I’m gonna be six tomorrow.”

“Yes, you are, baby,” Charmaine said, bringing her close to a kiss on her head. “You’re growing to be a big girl.”

“Does that mean I can sleep outside tonight?”

“I don’t know if Madi still wants to sleep outside,” Abby answered.

“I do,” she said immediately. “It’s not that cold outside, and we will keep each other close.”

“Okay, can I, Mom, Mama?” Hope asked, with her mouth full of food, and pleading eyes.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full.”

“Are you sure you girls don’t mind? Clarke?”

“It’s okay, Mom. We will keep her safe and have some fun.”

Abby shared a look with both Marcus and Charmaine, as they all made sure they agreed on this, before making the promise, and with nods from everyone, Charmaine spoke.

“Okay, you can go.”

“Yeah!!” Hope got up at that, letting her plate fall from her lap, luckily Octavia caught it before it touched the floor, and Hope did a celebration dance.

“Okay, baby, calm down,” Abby said, pulling her to her lap, before taking the plate from Octavia, to make sure her youngest daughter finished eating.

The rest of the meal went without many more hiccups, mostly recapping their plans for the following day – it would be a lowkey day, spent by the waterfall, picnicking and playing around, before starting the walk back home.

“Okay, I think we’re all ready to go,” Octavia said, the moment she noticed everyone had finished eating.

“Yes!!” Hope celebrated.

“You sure you can take Hope?”

“Yes, Mom,” Clarke said, as they packed their things and said their goodbyes.

Hope shared a hug with her parents, promising to behave with the rest of her family, excited that the next time they saw each other, she would be six years old. They let Charmaine take Hope outside, as Abby talked with Clarke.

“Clarke, make sure she listens to you.”

“I will, Mom. Enjoy your night with Kane and Diyoza, I’ll try to keep Hope busy, but I bet she will want to come here first thing in the morning.”

“I know. I promise we’ll be decent.”

“Ohh, Mom!! Don’t say that, that’s disgusting, I don’t need that image in my head.”

“Come here,” Abby said, ignoring her and bringing her in for a kiss. “Love you and be safe.”

“Love you too, Mom. And I’ll look out for Hope.”

“I know. Have fun.”

Abby looked on as the girls went down the hill, Charmaine still out of the cave, when Abby felt Marcus’ arms around her, and his lips on her neck.

“You smell nice,” Marcus whispered.

“I’ve been sweating all day, and I mostly just smell of fire, and so do you.”

“So you two are already kissing,” Charmaine said, turning back to them.

“Just planning on what to do with you,” Marcus told her with a smirk, pulling away from Abby and extending his hand to Charmaine.

“It’s been almost six years, Charm,” he told her, pulling her close. “I love you so much. Thank you for giving me this.”

“Thanks for being here for me then and always,” she said, raising her hand to his beard, before wrapping it behind his head and pulling him for a kiss. Marcus pulled her close immediately, both hands on her hip, as he prodded her mouth opened.

“Lovebirds,” Abby finally called out. “Come help me pack this up, before you get carried away.”

“Going!!” Charmaine yelled, before squeezing his crotch.

“You can’t do that to a man, Charm!!”

“What did you do?” Abby asked. “Squeezed his butt?”

“More in the front.”

“Good going,” Abby whispered, before laying a quick kiss on her lips.

Marcus packed the blankets on the ground, making some type of bed, close to the fire, but not close enough for it to catch on fire; also deep enough into the cave that hopefully it would be discreet if someone came into the room.

“That’s a nice place,” Abby said, as they finished packing the food stuff. “You’re allowed to kiss Charm again, Marcus.”

“You’re in charge today, Abby?” Marcus asked as he stepped closer to Charmaine, this time his hands framing her face, pulling her mouth to her, and immediately getting their tongues to touch each other.

The kiss continued, as Marcus pulled himself closer to her – his cock clear against her, and then he felt some hands around them. Abby kneeled between them, unbuttoning Charmaine’s pants, swatting Marcus’ hip away. She pulled her pants down carefully, kissing down her legs, small and sweetly, and then untying her shoes, before pulling her underwear down.

Charmaine moaned into Marcus’ mouth, as his hands pulled her butt close to him, and Abby swatted him away again, and Abby kissed her – she started by her inner thighs, raising her mouth, until her tongue traced her folds. She stopped to kiss her clit for a few moments, before flicking her tongue in and out of her cunt.

She could hear Charmaine moaning, before some clothes started to fall around them, and as the sounds changed, Abby knew Marcus was paying attention to her breasts now – in some particular nights Charmaine could come just from that.

“Abby!!! Please,” she pleaded, her hand reaching for Abby’s hair, pulling her closer, and now fully between her and Marcus – Abby could now feel Marcus’ cock right against her head. Abby knew what Charmaine wanted, her lips sucked on her clit again, while she curled her fingers inside her.

“She’s close,” Marcus murmured to Abby, thrusting his hips forward, searching for relief on her head, as he held Charmaine closer, prepared for when she gave in under Abby’s tongue.

A mix of Marcus and Abby’s names came out of her as she crashed against Marcus’ chest, as Abby licked her clean, before stepping back, and standing up.

“Thank you, babe,” Abby whispered in Charmaine’s ears. “Thank you for a beautiful and smart child.”

“She’s really good, isn’t she?” she murmured into Marcus’ chest, still recovering. “I never thought I would have this. I would have a child, and that I would actually be good at this mom thing – I’ve been a fighter for so long.”

“You’re still a fighter,” Marcus agreed, rubbing her back.

“I never thought I would fall in love like this, so thank you,” she said, letting herself be more emotional than usual, before shaking herself off, and pulling back. “Now I feel you’re all a bit overdressed.”

Charmaine started by reaching for the buttons of Marcus’ shirt and pulling it over his head, his body now as familiar to her as her own, and his almost-death-causing scars a memory of the past.

“Can you handle your pants and underwear while I undress Abby?”

“Of course,” he told her with a smirk, both women knowing he enjoyed them undressing.

Abby’s clothes were a bit more sophisticated but Charmaine got around them, unbuttoning carefully, letting her fingertips trace down Abby’s body, teasing her slowly. She got her shirts off, working carefully on her bra, teasing each of her nipples carefully, before taking her pants off.

“I can finish undressing, Charm, lay down with Marcus.”

Marcus was already completely naked comfortably laying on the covers, or maybe not that comfortably, judging by how hard he was.

“I think you need some help, Kane,” she said, winking at him, and pulling him down on the bed.

“Kane, huh,” he said with a smirk, as she straddled his lap. She liked to play with him and call him Kane sometimes in bed, and it happened to turn on Marcus quite a bit.

She took his cock on her hand, jerking him slowly as they waited for Abby to finish undressing and join them, she moved slowly.

“You’re torturing him, Charm.”

“We’re just waiting for you, Abby,” she said.

Abby finished undressing, and lowered herself on the blanket, and at the same time Charmaine lowered herself on Marcus, slowly, as Abby kissed her lips softly, and then Marcus, kissing him, until she felt him grunt against her lips and she knew he was fully inside Charmaine.

Abby lay back down on the bed, her head on Marcus’ chest, looking up to Charmaine, naked, as she started to ride him. There was no other place she would rather be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I left you right in the middle of this, but I'll be back for Mary's birthday :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Marcus, Abby and Charmaine continue their night of celebrating, before being woken up by an excited Hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised the second chapter goes out to Mary!! Happy Birthday!!!! I hope you have an amazing day, full of happy things, beautiful snow and fun people!!! I love you so much, and I admire your strength, know that you have me in your corner anytime you need - thank you for your heart and mind!!!

Abby laid on the comfortable blankets on the floor of the cave, her head on Marcus’ chest, as they both observed Charmaine moving her hips, as his hips rose to meet her.

“You look beautiful,” Abby said, reaching out to touch her belly.

Charmaine took the lead with Marcus, making sure to go as fast as she wanted and stopping as she felt him get closer, still touching herself.

“Charm, please, just let me come.”

“Not yet,” she whispered as she touched herself. “I feel Abby is all by herself.” Charmaine moaned again, offering a hand to Abby. “Love you, Abs. I wish I could be the one doing this but my back, so Marcus?”

“Come here,” he whispered, dragging Abby’s hips to his face.

Marcus knew her body well after many years together, his beard teasing her just before he kissed her – he focused on her clit. Charmaine made herself come, but still waited to move, using all her strength to keep him in place, until Abby was coming as well, her hands finding Charmaine’s on Marcus’ torso.

Charmaine brought Abby’s palm to her lips, as she looked deeply into Abby, as she threw her head back and pushed onto Marcus’ face, before dropping onto her back, as Marcus let go of her thighs.

“You’ve been a good boy, Marcus,” Charmaine whispered, bowing down to kiss him, and kiss Abby’s cum from his face. “Now, please fuck me hard,” she said, twisting him, so he was on top of her, even if she was still in charge.

“Hard, Marcus,” she pleaded, and Marcus started going, fighting all his impulses to go slowly and softly.

Charmaine reached behind her, feeling the heat from Abby, wanting to kiss her, but only being able to touch her knee at the moment.

“Come here, babe.”

“Nah,” Abby murmured, softly kissing her lips, and then crawling across the blanket, already knowing that her knees would feel all this in the morning.

The room was a mix of Abby’s gasps and Marcus’ groans as he pushed into her, and then Abby stood behind him, offering pressure and speed into his movements. It wasn’t like Abby had the strength to actually move Marcus’ body, but the impulse and push was there, a reminder for Marcus not to slow down.

His grunts were louder as he felt Abby against him, her naked body against his, as Charmaine’s fingers carved into his back, luckily her nails kept short, as her body raised to meet him as she was closer to coming.

“Come with her,” Abby whispered, pushing him forward with her hips again.

“I’m close, Charm,” he panted into her ear.

“Come for me, Marcus,” she asked, her hand rising to pull his head from her shoulder for a sloppy kiss, as they came and panted into each other’s open mouths, before he dropped on her body, Abby on top of him.

“You’re squishing me,” Charmaine said with a laugh, barely recovered from her orgasm, and Marcus and Abby rolled over fitting around her, resting on the blanket.

Marcus laid on his back, still catching his breath, but Abby turned to her, tracing her fingers across her body, focusing on the scars – the old ones but also the more recent ones, that Abby had fixed herself.

“What are you doing?” Charmaine murmured, stroking her hair.

“I love you, you know…”

“Abby…”

“I really do. I don’t know, it’s just a miracle that you’re here,” she said tracing her neck scar. “You were born hundred years before I was, on Earth, I was born in Space. We were not supposed to even meet.”

“We still found each other, Abby,” she reminded her. “I still kidnapped you,” she told her with a laugh, their past now something they could joke and openly talk about. Abby and Marcus had learned from their mistakes of not talking earlier about how they hurt each other, so when it came to the three of them making this work, they had talked.

“I know. Thanks for Hope.”

“She’s our daughter. I couldn’t be raising her without you.”

“You would have done it,” Marcus said. “You’re an excellent mother.”

“We make good parents.”

“We do,” Marcus said, before looking up to Abby, and with a nod from her, he continued. “We love each other, and we’re partners.”

“Yes, I love you both too.”

“This would be a good place for a tattoo,” Abby whispered tracing her leg.

“Another one?” Charmaine hadn’t thought of getting a new one in a long time.

“If that would be okay with you,” Marcus asked. “We know that these were important, until…”

“They’re part of my past. I burn them when I stopped believing that my country was fighting for the right thing,” she said. “What are you trying to say?” She said, standing on her forearms.

“Marry us, Charm.”

“Abby… you know I would never ask you…” she said, eyeing the marriage tattoos, only Abby’s, visible in her inner thigh, while Marcus had his on his shoulder. Abby and Marcus had gotten them a long time ago, the moment Marcus had been healed after Vinson and strong enough to go under the needle, without added risk with the possibility of an infection.

“We are a family. The three of us. When I married Marcus, I never guessed we would be here. Life evolves, Charm, you’re part of ours.”

“Forever. If you accept to marry us?”

“Of course, I will marry you both, even if I don’t need some ceremony to prove our love to each other,” she said, softly kissing one and the other.

“I love you.”

“Love you too,” she answered Abby. “So what do you want to do get a new tattoo? Or me getting yours?”

“Change ours,” Marcus spoke. “Evolve it to be shared between us.”

“I like the Eden tree,” she whispered, pulling Abby’s leg up, to look at it better, tracing the branches and flowers in the small tree. “It’s beautiful. And I know it reminds you of the sky and coming to the ground, but it also makes me think of the home we wanted to build,” she reminded Marcus.

“But we build it here,” Marcus spoke. “We should add Sanctum to our tattoo, something from here to bring this together.”

“I like the idea.”

“Me too. Maybe I can talk with Clarke,” Abby said, moving her leg away. “Now let’s stop with the dangerous touching, before I need another round.”

“I wouldn’t be opposed to that,” Charmaine flirted back.

“You will when Hope comes in here in the morning, and we haven’t slept more than a couple of hours.”

“You’re right.”

“I know I am,” she answered, before picking up part of their clothes, so they covered their state of undress, before going to sleep – their bodies fitting perfectly together under the warm blankets as they fell asleep.

As expected, they woke up with Hope throwing herself at them and jumping on them, screaming she was six. Charmaine the first to fully wake up, carefully pulled Hope between her and Marcus.

“Hey, baby. Can you not yell, so you don’t wake up your mom and dad?

“I’m awake,” Abby said, resting her head on her fiancée shoulder and her arm around her waist to reach for Hope’s hair. “Morning, sweetie. Happy Birthday.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“Yes, happy birthday,” Charmaine said filling her face with kisses. “You’re getting so big.”

“Do you think I’m already taller?” she asked making them both laugh.

“Maybe not, but you’ll certainly be,” Abby said. “Did you behave?” she asked, looking at the entrance as the rest of the girls came in with their things, Octavia and Madi went to relight the fire, while Clarke came closer.

“I did. I woke up during the night, but Clarke told me the stars.”

“She did?”

“She said her daddy taught her. He’s up there too, but he’s not my other daddy either.”

“Did you use the names Jake came up with?” Abby asked Clarke, who nodded, as she kneeled down to kiss her mom on the cheek.

“Morning, Mom.”

“Do you know them, Mom?”

“I do, baby. Clarke’s father taught them to me too. We used to go look at the stars, when Clarke was little.”

“When you lived in the sky. And you and Daddy didn’t kiss each other, and Mama was sleeping like a princess.”

“Yes, then.” Hope had grown to love hearing stories about their life before, Clarke had started telling her one day, and then Hope came up to them to ask for more.

“Can we go look at the stars again?” Hope asked.

“Sure,” Clarke said.

“Mama, Mom, will you come with me? And Daddy?”

“Why don’t you go just with Clarke and Mom?” Charmaine asked. “They know all the names better than me or Daddy.” Abby squeezed Charmaine’s hand in thank you. It wasn’t like that Abby wasn’t open about Jake with them, they both knew of her husband and how much she would always love him, and none faulted her for it, but this had been something special between them – this silly tradition he first did on their first date, and continued through all their lives together, and then had been something he did with just Clarke as well. It seemed fitting to be Abby doing this with Hope.

“Madi can come too,” Clarke said.

“She knows the stars?”

“I taught her when she was just a bit older than you. We could check if she still remembers.”

“Yeah!!” Hope exclaimed, getting up, kicking Marcus’ in the process.

“Be careful,” Charmaine warned, trying to stop her moving, but it was too late and Marcus was awake.

“Morning, Daddy. Sorry I kicked you.”

“I’m okay,” he said, pulling her for a kiss. “How’s the birthday girl?”

“I’m this many, Daddy,” she said holding up six fingers – she had been training for the last two weeks, telling everybody she was turning six, Murphy had tried to trick her into holding one more finger.

“Yes, you are. All grown up. Almost as tall as mom,” he said, offering a smirk to Abby, who tried to kick him.

“No!! I’m gonna be as tall as Gabriel!!”

“Sure, you will,” he told her with a kiss to the back of her head. “Did you behave? Did you listen to your sister, Octavia and Madi?”

“I did, Dad,” she said nodding her head.

“Breakfast is ready, birthday girl,” Octavia yelled over, with the plates around the fire with some fruit and bread.

“I’ll take her, Mom.”

Clarke took Hope as they put their sleeping things away, and made themselves a bit more presentable before joining them by the fireplace. They ate the fruit and bread quickly, Hope and Madi were excited to go down to the water.

Abby was looking forward to it too, she hadn’t gone swimming in a long time, being always busy with work, and since she wasn’t the one going on expeditions, she never got the chance.

“Can I get a present?”

“Later,” Marcus told her.

“I do have a thing for you, Hope, it belonged to your dad,” Charmaine said, and Hope immediately turned her eyes to Marcus who shook his head. “McCreary. Paxton, your dad, Paxton.”

“The one who made me with you, and is up there with Clarke’s dad and Octavia’s mom?”

“Yes.”

“I wouldn’t put him with my mom, but sure…” Octavia mumbled to herself and Clarke elbowed her.

Charmaine looked on her bag for something and brought it out as she asked her daughter to close her eyes, before she fitted it into her head.

“What is it?” Hope asked reaching for her head, still with her eyes closed.

“You can open your eyes.”

Hope opened them carefully and pulled on her head, to get the beanie down to her hands.

“This was your dad’s. I think you’re big enough to wear it. It’s almost your size, just a bit too big for your head, but it will do, and you will grow in to it.”

“It’s really dad’s, other dad’s.”

“Yes, Hope, you need to take care of it.”

“I will,” she said putting over on her head, before hugging her mother. “Will I get more presents?”

“Later on,” she answered. “Now who wants to go swimming?”

“Me!!! Me!!!” Hope exclaimed, jumping around.

“Let’s get ready then,” Charmaine said. “What are we taking down there?”

“Nothing,” Octavia spoke up, starting to undress.

“You’re going down on your underwear, O?”

“There’s nobody here, so sure I am,” Octavia said. “I’m going down now. Heda?”

“Mom, I’m gonna go with O.”

“Alright. I’ll take our things down. Some food, something to dry us with.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

Madi disappeared after Octavia with that, while Marcus held Hope, stopping her from going forward, after the others.

“Marcus, do you want your book?” Abby asked as she put things on a smaller bag to take down to the waterfall.

They got everything quickly, deciding not to change from their sleeping clothes, since they were just going to undress down by the lake.

“Come on. Let’s go.”

Charmaine carried Hope on the way down this time, and the moment they were on solid ground, they could hear the laughs coming from the other women.

“I’m gonna go ahead, Mom.”

They walked slowly to the bank, seeing Madi and Clarke in the water, while Octavia had made it to the top of the waterfall and was jumping from there.

Only Charmaine knew that bathing suits had been a thing, but by now she had gotten used to just going into the water in her underwear, so they all undressed, and Marcus went ahead with Hope.

“You okay?” Charmaine asked, waiting for Abby, who still only had dipped her feet.

“The water is cold, Charm.”

“Abby, come on,” she said, taking her hand.

“Let me just get used to it.”

“You won’t get used to it without going in.”

“I will,” Abby said, patting her arms and body with water.

“Ready now?”

“Almost.”

“Hope is calling for us.”

They looked ahead as Hope moved her arms in the water, trying to swim, while Marcus held a hand under her.

“You can go ahead.”

“I’m waiting for you, Doc.”

“Thanks,” she said. “How can you handle the water?”

“It’s not that cold. By the way I’m also jumping with O the next time she goes up.”

“You are?”

“Clarke is going too. Madi is on the fence.”

“Marcus?”

“Nah. He said his back can’t take it. How are your knees by the way?”

“Sore,” she complained. “But it was worth it,” she said with a smile. “The water will help.”

“Another reason to go in.”

“Okay,” Abby said finally taking Charmaine’s hand, to go deeper into the water, and join her family, wondering how she could have imagined that she would ever get to be this happy again after she lost Jake and Clarke was arrested.


End file.
